shut behind her. Then she stumbled across the hall to the landing as if she was drunk. Pausing with a tight grasp on the cool wood of the balustrade, she drew air into lungs that felt like they were burning.
Sheâd just volunteered to become Aiden Blackstoneâs wife. But considering Jamesâs final requirement, how would she ever go through with it?
Startled by the shuffle of feet behind her, she tightened her grip on the wooden banister. Knowing Aiden and Canton were approaching, Christina struggled to pull herself together. She needed to get through the rest of the afternoon without the veneer cracking.
Just as she turned back to face the others, Nolen appeared at the end of the hallway. The old butlerâs eyes carried more than their share of worry as he approached, but he didnât say anything. He probably knew every detail of what had transpired in James Blackstoneâs suite this afternoon. Somehow, he and Marie always knew.
From behind her, Cantonâs voice rang clear. âItâs early still. We can go down to the probate judgeâs office now and get the paperwork started. You can be married within a week.â
Nolen frowned back at the lawyer, his glower making her feel cared for, protected. It was a rare occurrence for herâshe was used to being the protectorâmaking it that much more appreciated. Her heart swelled, aching with love and worry of her own. She slowly shook her head as she turned to face the men. âI need to think. Some time to think.â She struggled to clear her clouded thoughts. âAnd I need to check on Lily.â
âSheâs fine with Nicole,â Nolen said, extending his elbow so she could take his arm. Old-fashioned to the core. Her muscles relaxed; her smile appeared. He smiled back. âBut weâll stop by if it will ease your mind.â
Resigning herself to his help because she knew it would soothe his concern, she slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. They crossed the landing to the other suite of rooms on the second floor. With a deep breath, Christina paused to look back over her shoulder. âAiden, will you come see Lily?â
He watched her from several feet away, hooded lids at half-mast, hiding the only thing that would showcase his emotions. âLater,â he said, short and definitely not sweet. But his still features didnât tell her whether he simply couldnât face his mother or simply didnât care. He turned to Canton. âIâm not going anywhere until Iâve looked over those papers and talked to my own lawyer.â
With a short nod, Canton moved to the stairs and started down. Aiden followed, his stiff back forcefully cutting off any approach.
Nolen harrumphed in disapproval, but Christina ignored him. Maybe she was imagining the loneliness in that brief look from Aiden, but he seemed cloaked in an aura of solitude. With a quiet knock, Nolen let them into Lilyâs suite, leaving the mystery of Aiden behind her.
Here, filtered sunlight illuminated lavender-flowered wallpaper and a slightly darker carpet, the soft decor far removed from the oppressive majesty of the opposite suite. The tranquility soothed Christinaâs shaky nerves. They passed through a sitting room with the television turned low to the sleeping area beyond.
Nicole, the housekeeperâs grandniece, sat in the overstuffed chair by the adjustable bed James had specially ordered. She looked up from the thick nursing textbook in her lap.
âCome to check on her?â Nicole asked.
Christina nodded. âHowâs she doing?â
âOh, the storm did neither of us any good, but after I did her exercises, she settled right down.â Nicole flashed a toothy smile, bright against her tanned skin. âHer vitals are normal, so sheâs resting fine now. Still a little spooky, though, seeing her respond like that.â
âOh, youâd be surprised at the stories nurses have about comatose patients. Itâs a very interesting area of study.â Christina should know; sheâd studied every case history, textbook explanation and word-of-mouth example sheâd been able to get her hands on. The stroke damage had healed; still, Lily had not come back to them.
âYouâre gonna make a wonderful nurse someday, Nicole,â Nolen said, beaming as if she were his own grandchild.
âYes, you are,â Christina agreed. Sheâd encouraged Nicole from the moment the girl had come around asking questions about Christinaâs duties. Now the young woman was a nursing student at the university forty minutes away and helped Christina with Lily on certain nights and weekends.
Christina went through the motions of checking Lilyâs pulse while Nicole and Nolen quietly discussed some problems sheâd had with her car this week.
Christina laid her hand on Lilyâs forehead, noting the normal temperature, and scanned the monitors beeping nearby through habit. But there, the professionalism ended. She leaned closer to Lilyâs ear.
âHeâs home, Lily.â She sighed. âHe doesnât like it, but for now, heâs here. Iâll bring him to see you soon.â
There was no indication that Lily had heard, just the beeps of the monitors. Lilyâs thin, pale features never moved; her eyes never opened. But Christina had to believe she was happy to know her son was back under Blackstone Manorâs roof. She wouldnât be happy about her fatherâs machinations, though. To force two people to marry... Christina shivered as she remembered the feel of Aidenâs intense gaze penetrating the thin veneer with which she protected her emotions.
The housekeeperâs arrival drew her from her thoughts. âSo whatâs this I hear about a wedding?â Marie asked, marching in, still dressed in the apron printed with the words âI make this kitchen hotterâ the sixty-five-year-old wore whenever she knew James wouldnât catch her.
Christina wanted to groan. How had the news spread through the house so fast? Sometimes she thought the staff had the place bugged.
âItâs more of a business agreement than a wedding,â Christina said, a slight wave of dizziness rushing over her at the thought. âIf there is a wedding...â She wasnât entirely sure Aiden would go through with it, once that hot streak of defiance cooled. Could she, if it gave her the legal right to protect Lily?
But she couldnât share a bed with him. Surely, they could get around that part....
âItâs unnatural, is what it is,â Nolen interjected. âTwo strangers entering into something as sacred as marriage.â
âAnd those words of wisdom brought to you by a lifelong bachelor.â Marie grinned. âBesides, they arenât strangers. Theyâve known each other since they were kids.â
There were flutters of panic in Christinaâs chest as she remembered that last face-to-face meeting with a seventeen-year-old Aiden. Sheâd mooned over him from afar every time she came to visit Blackstone Manor. Sometimes the hope of seeing him had drawn her just as much as Lilyâs company, but that day had taught her well how little he felt for her. Whenever sheâd come near him, heâd demonstrated the same unpleasant endurance as her parents, who also looked at her as a pest that they wished would disappear. Heâd called her invader many times over the years sheâd hung around, aching for a bit of Lilyâs attention. Yes, that was definitely how
